1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the art of electrical connectors, and more particularly to a high-speed electrical connector having retention mechanism for retaining contacts in a housing of the connector.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional high-speed electrical connector 500 commonly has a plurality of electrical contacts 52 as shown in FIGS. 4-5, each of which has a press-fit retaining portion 524. When the connector 5 is mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB) 53, the retaining portions 524 of the contacts 52 are inserted into through holes 531 in the PCB 53. Each through hole 531 has a diameter less than a dimension of the retaining portion 524. The connector 500 can be mounted on the PCB 53 by pressing the retaining portions 524 of the contacts 52 into the through holes 531 without additional soldering process.
When the connector 5 is mounted to the PCB 53, the retaining portions 524 of the contacts 52 confront sidewalls of the PCB 53 around the through holes. The contacts 52 are retained in passageways 513 of the housing 51 by barbs 523 protruding from opposite sides of each contact 52. However, the barbs 523 are insufficient to securely retain the contacts 52 in the passageways 513 if the insertion force during the mating process is too high. The contacts 52 will slide upwardly along the passageways 513 as the housing 51 is pressed toward the PCB 53, which leads to the contacting portion 521 of the contacts 52 resisting an inner face 518 of a top wall of the housing 51. Under such condition, the contacting portions 521 will bias from their proper position, thereby failing to electrically connect with corresponding contacts of a mating connector (not shown). In addition, the insertion force acted on the retaining portion 524 of the contact 52 may subject the retaining portion 524 to a force in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction which alters the pitch of the contacts thereby adversely affecting insertion of the contacts 52 into the holes 531 defined in the PCB 53.
Therefore, an improved connector and compliant contacts are required having an improved retention mechanism for retaining the contacts within a housing of the connector without undue deformation of the contacts.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved connector with contacts having retaining mechanisms for positioning the contacts in true positions when the connector is mounted to a PCB.
In order to achieve the object set forth, an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention includes an insulative housing defining a plurality of passageways therethrough and a plurality of contacts received in the passageways. Each passageway has an indentation in an inner wall thereof forming a downwardly facing stopping surface. Each contact has a base portion and a pair of arm portions received in the passageway of the housing and a press-fit tail portion extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the housing. A retaining portion is defined between the base portion and the tail portion. Each retaining portion has a pair of retaining arms extending from opposite ends of the retaining portion and resisting against the stopping surface of the indentation of the passageway. Thus, when the contacts of the connector are inserted into through holes in a PCB, the contacts are prevented by the indentations from sliding upwardly along the passageways.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention with attached drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an electrical connector in accordance with the present invention together with a PCB;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the electrical connector, taken along line IIxe2x80x94II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a contact of the electrical connector of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a conventional electrical connector together with a PCB; and
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the connector and the PCB taken along line Vxe2x80x94V of FIG. 4.